Rift within Romania's grand ruling coalition is widening ahead of elections

Romania was given a "social portfolio" with a still unclear definition instead of an economic portfolio, president Klaus Iohannis stated, pointing to prime minister Marcel Ciolacu as the one responsible for the negotiations held with the European Commission on the matter.

The statement marks the gradual deterioration of the relationship between president Iohannis' Liberal Party (PNL) and the Social Democrats (PSD) headed by PM Ciolacu ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections.

Among others, the Social Democrats are reportedly not supporting a bill drafted by Liberals that would allow president Iohannis to run in the parliamentary elections with the Senate speaker seat in mind.

"The negotiation for this position was done at the prime ministerial level, and I think it's better to ask the prime minister how he told us all he was going to get an economic portfolio and he got a social portfolio, which still needs to be clarified what does it contain," Iohahnis answered to the question asked by journalists regarding the portfolio obtained by Roxana Mînzatu.

DG EMPL is responsible for EU policy on employment, social affairs, skills, labour mobility, and the related EU funding programmes, according to the European Commission.

It is not clear what Roxana Mînzatu will do in Brussels because, practically, all the areas entrusted to her for management belong to the exclusive competence of the states, Ziarul Financiar pointed out at the time of the appointment.

(Photo source: Inquam Photos/George Calin)